


Just the Two of Us (You and I)

by MiniRaven



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Beach Holidays, Beach House, Blow Jobs, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, M/M, Marriage Proposal, One Shot, POV Tony Stark, Romantic Fluff, Smut, Stony Trumps Hate 2017, Tony Feels, Tony Stark Feels, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-27
Updated: 2017-10-27
Packaged: 2019-01-22 10:18:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12479312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiniRaven/pseuds/MiniRaven
Summary: Tony and Steve have been a couple for a long time, and they’ve been teammates for even longer. They head to a beach house on a remote island to take some well-deserved time off.





	Just the Two of Us (You and I)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Neverever](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neverever/gifts).



> Thank you Robin tCJ for the beta!

Tony slowly woke up with the morning sun warming his back, the smell of saltwater in his nose, and the sound of crashing waves breaking on the white sand. A cool breeze from an open window of the beach house embraced Tony’s naked body while sleepy legs tangled themselves further into soft sheets.

A mouthwatering smell wafted out of the kitchen and into the bedroom. Tony’s stomach growled as his muddled brain identified each scent. Eggs with salsa, toast, bacon, and (of course) coffee. Tony should get up, but he didn’t want to. This was _his_ vacation. His time away from the Avengers. If he wanted five more minutes, Tony was sleeping another five minutes. Hot coffee be dammed.

But someone else had other ideas. A gentle kiss on his cheek pulled Tony away from his extra five minutes.

“Good morning sleepyhead,” whispered a familiar voice. “You going to wake up own your own or am I going to have to do something horrible to wake you up?”

Tony’s mouth curved up into a cheeky smile. “Depends, what did you have in mind?” he asked, voice dry as sand.

Steve hummed as he crawled back on the bed to cuddle Tony. “I don’t know. Maybe a morning blow job? I hear it’s all the rage these days. And it looks like this part of you is the only part I can reward for getting up on time,” Steve said, nudging Tony’s cock.

Tony let out a tired groan. Morning sex sounded good, but Tony wasn’t up for it. Well, let’s be honest, the _rest_ of him wasn’t up for it. Steve had insisted on a ‘no work’ rule during their weeklong vacation. Meaning Tony had to schedule one of his famous ‘weeks of hell’ and consolidate two weeks’ worth of work into seven days. Three or four late nights in the lab, almost a dozen extra meetings so the company could stay on track, not to mention any emergency calls the Avengers had to respond to. To describe his condition as ‘tired’ was an understatement. Tony was bone-deep exhausted.

“We’re on vacation, sunshine. There is no such thing as getting up on time,” Tony said, slowly rolling over to his back and pushing Steve away.

“You sure? This guy seems to disagree with you,” Steve said, fondling Tony’s morning wood in one large, warm hand.

And oh god did Tony recognize that voice. Tony tried to go back to sleep, but Steve was insistent. Tony batted Steve’s hand away from his cock. “Steve, no.”

Steve chuckled. “You know, whenever you say that, it makes me want to change that answer to a yes,” he growled, tracing the outline of Tony’s half hard cock through the thin sheet.

Tony’s cock twitched in eager interest. His hips canted up, chasing after Steve’s touch. Damn his traitorous body. Tony bit down on his lip as a needy groaned threatened to escape. He refused to give his boyfriend positive reinforcement from such blatant disrespect.

“Steve, don’t you-” Tony’s warning was immediately cut off as Steve’s lips stole the words from Tony’s mouth with a kiss. It started off gentle – a soft press on his lips. Then, it turned dirty. Steve’s teeth bit down on Tony’s bottom lip, sucking any words of discouragement into Steve’s needy mouth. Then came the tongue, hungry for Tony’s attention. Tony tried to pull away but no matter which way he went, Steve was there, ready to drown Tony with his talented lips. Not that Tony could say _no_ to an early morning make out session with a super soldier. Peak of human perfection indeed.

Steve kissed like he fought. Each touch oozed confidence and precision. He knew all of Tony’s weak points and exploited them at will. Steve’s right hand cradled Tony’s unshaven jaw, gently coaxing his head up and out of the pillows. His left hand snaked around Tony’s waist all the way down to his ass. Strong fingers squeezed the supple flesh. Steve’s tongue, _god_ Steve’s tongue. Steve’s tongue was in a different league altogether.

It swirled around Tony’s mouth, finding every crevice and claiming it as its own. It fucked Tony’s face with wild abandon until Tony’s hips began to move in time with Steve’s thrusts. A stray finger moved from Tony’s plump cheek down to his tight hole. It pressed against the quivering flesh and sent a wave of pleasure up Tony’s cock so it stood at attention like a soldier saluting his commanding officer. Every nerve in his body was jumping with arousal.

Finally, Tony mustered up the strength to break out of the super soldier’s grasp. He gasped, desperate for air. A thin line of saliva connected their lips like a glistening thread of fate. Steve licked the thread off Tony’s lips with a cheeky grin. “Can’t say no if your mouth is full.”

Tony groaned. He flopped, back first, onto the bed. Tony covered his face with both hands as Steve’s fingers continued to roam up and down his sides. “Fine. I’m up. I can’t believe I’m putting up with this before my first cup of coffee.”

“Admit it, you put up with it because you love your boyfriend more than coffee,” Steve said, laying down on top of Tony’s chest. His hands splayed possessively over Tony’s scars.

Tony closed his eyes and clamped down on the urge to sigh dramatically. He really did. Tony loved Steve with all his heart. He’d put up with a lot of crazy stuff Steve did because he loved the man. But Steve didn’t need to know about that. His ego was already big enough.

“Watch yourself champ,” Tony said, peeking out through his fingers. “The list of things I like is short, and you can be knocked down at any time.”

Steve laughed. “Guess I’ll have to work harder to be more important. And I think I have an idea as to how,” Steve said as he traced his fingers along Tony’s scarred flesh.

Tony expected his boyfriend to do something with his chest, but Steve had other ideas. Steve encircled Tony’s nipples, giving them a quick flick for good luck. Then he walked his fingers down through Tony’s happy trail and over the silk bed sheet still trapping Tony’s legs in place. Steve caressed the root of Tony’s cock through the fabric, but he didn’t stay there for long. His fingers fluttered down to Tony’s balls and, without a word or warning, gave them quick, light twist. Arousal raced up Tony’s spine. He arched up like a cat and let out a needy moan that echoed through the entire beach house.

Steve grinned. He pressed gentle kisses along Tony’s neck as his hands began working their magic. Steve’s large fingers teased Tony through the silk sheets. He encircled Tony’s cock in his hand and held on tight. Tony closed his eyes and let out a heavy moan. With a satisfied grin, Steve began moving his hand up and down the length of Tony’s shaft.

Tony bit down on his hand and tried not to cry out. The friction of the cloth against his cock burned the sensitive skin. Steve’s touch was muted by the fabric, but god it felt so good. Tony tried to stay still, but he wanted more. He needed more friction. Tony’s hips began buck up into the air, moving in time with Steve’s hand as he chased after the heat.

“Fuck, Steve,” he begged, each breath he took felt heavy in his chest as he tried not to come.

All of a sudden, the kisses along Tony’s skin stopped. The grip on Tony’s cock loosened and the weight of Steve’s hand disappeared. Tony stifled a whimper. He didn’t want it to end now. He hadn’t come yet.

“Shhh. It’s okay, Tony. I’ll take care of you, promise,” Steve murmured as he pressed one last kiss over the skin above the arc reactor. With a smile, Steve shimmied down the bed until his face was right next to the tent in the sheet where Tony’s cock hid.

Tony looked down at his dick and a wave of embarrassment washed over him. The white sheet was soaked with his precome. From the tip of his dick down past his crotch, white fabric clung to his cock, accentuating every single vein. Tony could see his dark red head twitching with anticipation, fighting the restraining hold of the sheet. Tony had been holding back for the past week, and now look at him. How could he have allowed things to get this bad?

But Steve wasn’t fazed. He looked at Tony’s dick and then locked eyes with Tony. In the depths of those lust blown eyes, Tony saw something more than the hunger of arousal. There was adoration in the deep blue of his eyes. An endless supply of love. Steve look past all Tony’s doubts and just saw him as he was. Steve looked at Tony, and Tony fell in love all over again.

“Beautiful,” Steve murmured. He pressed his thumb flat against Tony’s slit. Tony groaned as he felt a thin line of fluid leak out his cock. He squirmed as it dripped down his throbbing dick and soaked the white sheet. God, why wouldn’t Steve get on with it? Tony hadn’t jerked off all week and he needed to come bad.

Steve must have been on the same page because the way he licked his lips as Tony’s precome stained the sheet was almost pornographic.

Steve started with Tony’s balls, teasing him with quick kisses from soft lips and hard teeth. He moved up Tony’s shaft, kissing his way up until his lips were only a hair’s breadth away from Tony’s head. Tony gasped as Steve blew a warm breath of air over the damp sheet.

“Steve,” Tony begged. The blood in his veins thrummed with need.

Steve’s lips turned up into a devious grin. “What do you want, Tony? Do you want the sheet on or off?”

“Fuck Steve. I don’t fucking know.” The only thoughts going through Tony’s head were ‘fuck’, ‘Steve’, and ‘now.’

Steve hummed. He took Tony’s fabric covered head in his mouth. His tongue swirled around Tony’s head. Then, he hollowed out his cheeks and sucked.

Tony’s entire body jumped. “Fuck! Off. Off!”

Steve pulled off Tony’s cock with a wet pop. “Too much?” asked Steve with an innocent smile.

“Not enough,” Tony said, gasping for breath. He threaded his fingers through Steve’s blond hair. “I want to feel every part of you.”

Steve smiled. “As you wish.”

In seconds, the sheet was gone. Cold air ghosted over Tony’s wet cock, sending a shiver down Tony’s spine. But Steve soon fixed that. He opened his mouth and took Tony’s cock all the way down his throat in one go.

Tony’s toes caught the sheet as they curled up. “Aah. Steve!”

But Steve didn’t answer. At least, not with words. He hollowed out his cheeks and began moving his mouth up and down Tony’s shaft.

Tony let out a low moan that reached all the way down to his cock. When was the last time he let go? When was the last time he let Steve do what he wanted? When was the last time Tony was as vocal as he wanted to be? They couldn’t do this back home. Too many nosey ears to do as they pleased. But this; Steve’s tongue lavishing Tony’s cock, tracing the throbbing veins along Tony’s shaft, Steve licking and slurping down every bit of Tony’s come as loud as he wanted, this was worth the wait.

“Fuck, Steve!” Tony screamed as he came. Every nerve in his body burned as Tony’s orgasm turned his vision white. He dug his fingers into Steve’s scalp as he fucked thick, hot come down Steve’s throat. Steve hummed in satisfaction as he licked up every drop.

He gave Tony’s cock a few more good sucks before releasing Tony’s member with a loud pop. White come glistened on his lips. “Good morning, beautiful,” Steve said with a satisfied smile. His cheeks were flushed red.

Steve crawled back up Tony’s chest and kissed him with blowjob-red lips. Tony groaned as Steve slipped some of Tony’s own seed into his mouth. A little bitter, but fuck it tasted good coming off of Steve’s tongue. Tony held Steve’s hips in place as he tried to rut against Steve’s thigh with his softening cock. Tony was still a bit tired, but it was the good kind. Steve had sucked all the stress and fatigue of his body out through his cock, leaving Tony a pliant mess on the sheets. “You taste like rainbows and sunshine,” Tony muttered as Steve broke the kiss.

Steve chuckled. “Is that your way of asking if I’m gay or if I’m seeing anyone?”

Tony rolled his eyes and let out an exasperated huff. “You’re horrible, Steve Rogers. I can’t believe media still pegs you for a boy scout.”

“That’s okay,” Steve purred. He rolled his hips over Tony’s still sensitive cock, pulling one last erotic groan out of him. “They don’t need to know everything about my life.”

“No, they don’t,” Tony said between labored breaths. No one needed to know about this. They were both out and proud in the public eye, but some things were better not shared with the world. Some things were better just between the two of them.

“Anything else they don’t need to know about?”

“Besides being a beast in the sheets? I don’t know,” Steve hummed. “Maybe that I’m a hopeless romantic and I made this for the most amazing boyfriend in the world,” Steve said as he reached over and pulled up a tray featuring eggs, bacon, and still steaming coffee.

“You made me breakfast in bed.” Tony had forgotten all about the source of delicious smells. Granted, Steve’s blowjobs made it easy to forget about everything.

Steve grinned. He set the wooden tray down on an empty spot on the bed. “You’ve been working really hard this week. Thought I’d surprise you with a little something special. Do you like It?”

“Don’t know,” Tony murmured, marveling at the talented creator rather than the creation. “What happens if I say no?”

“A lifetime of shit for lying to my face.”

“Really?” asked Tony, leaning closer to the man he loved. “I was thinking something a little more sexually exciting.”

Steve let out a tired sigh, but Tony quickly canceled out Steve’s frustration with a peck on his lips. Steve gave Tony a pointed glare, but didn’t put up a fuss when Tony went back in for more. He reached a hand behind Steve’s head and threaded his fingers into Steve’s blond hair. Their lips locked. Steve hummed as he closed his eyes and leaned into Tony’s touch. Tony’s lips curled up into a smug smile. Point for him. Tony tried to pull their bodies closer together and haul Steve down into the sheets, but Steve was having none of it.

“We have to stop,” Steve said between kisses.

“Why?” Tony asked, chasing after Steve’s lips. “Don’t you want to sex me up?”

Steve slipped a hand between them and pressed a single finger to Tony’s lips. “Maybe later. Right now, I have plans.”

“For what?” whined Tony as Steve pushed himself up off the bed. “We left all our work back home.”

“Everything and nothing.”

“Sounds boring.”

“It’ll be fine. I think it sounds like a day of untapped potential.”

“Whatever you say,” Tony said with a roll of his eyes.”

* * *

Steve was right. Their day was filled with everything and nothing and it was absolutely amazing. After an amazing breakfast in bed, Tony rubbed sunscreen all across Steve’s back and into the hard to reach part of Steve’s ass, leading to very awkward sex on the beach. ( _Note to self_ , Tony thought, _sex on the beach is only good as a drink._ ) They splashed in the water like children as the tropical sun beat down on their backs. They built a sandcastle along the beach almost three feet high and walked along the tide pool, checking out the local ocean residents as they swayed in the current. They did everything Tony could ever think of and accomplished nothing of importance. It was different and novel and wonderful.

As the sun began to set and the bright blue of the sky began to fade, Tony took shelter under a large blue and white beach umbrella. He had moved the wooden table and two recliner chairs off the beach house patio and onto the sand so he could watch Steve fish for their dinner. Well, it would be more accurate to say Steve was chasing their dinner.

Steve had walked out into the ocean with nothing but some scuba gear, swimming trunks on his ass, and a spear in hand. He claimed that he could catch fish the old-fashioned way. Tony doubted it. Why bother when they had perfectly good food in the fridge, but Steve had insisted. Either way, Tony found it amusing. Whenever Steve popped out from the water, he’d wave his empty stick for Tony, and then dove back down for another try.

It was adorable.

As the shadows of the ending day grew longer and cool wind began to nip at Tony’s skin, Steve walked out of the water. There was a snorkel and mask on his head, a few fish hanging off his stick, and a big smile on his face.

Tony lifted up his sunglasses, admiring how the beads of ocean water made Steve sparkle like the stars. It was a good look for Steve. Made Tony wish their peaceful vacation could last forever. “Having fun?” he asked as Steve got close.

Steve nodded. “Would be a lot more fun if you got in,” he said. He shook out the water from his hair like a wet dog, splashing Tony in the process. Tony squeaked as drops of cold water landed near scrap paper covered in complicated equations. Steve laughed as he slicked back his wet hair like a greaser. Tony would have been mad, but this was recreational math and he wasn’t making any progress.

“I think I’ve had enough fun for today, thank you very much,” Tony said as he leaned back into his chair. “Besides, I like watching you chase fish. It’s fun.”

“Glad I could entertain you,” Steve chuckled.

He tossed the fish in a bucket of seawater and set his supplies down in the sand with a muffled thump as he settled down on the chair by Tony’s side. Steve propped his arms up on the armrest and just watched Tony calculate his way through the numbers.

“You know, you’re gorgeous when you work,” Steve said, melting into the chair.

Tony was not prepared for the sudden compliment. “Um… thanks?”

“Can you just stay there for a minute?”

“Why? See something you like?” asked Tony with a coy smile.

Steve grinned. “I see a lot of somethings that I like.” He took Tony’s sunglasses and shifted them up so they sat over Tony’s hairline. “It’s been awhile since I’ve seen you this relaxed. Looks good on you.”

“Really?”

Steve leaned down and kissed Tony’s exposed forehead. “Really. You’ve been so busy lately. It feels like I barely see you anymore.”

“I see you every day. I get back from work and you’re the first thing I see.”

“You’re distracted every day,” Steve said. “I know we’re both busy workaholics, but I get lonely, too, sometimes. When was the last time we just spent time together without talking about work?”

“Um…” Well, there was that one time, but that was interrupted by Doom testing running one of his robots of mass destruction. What about that time after- No, Fury had called them in for a covert mission. God, had it really been that long ago? “I can’t remember. I’m sorry, Steve. I know I need to put more effort into being a better boyfriend.”

“Don’t worry. You’re not the only one who could be doing more for this relationship,” Steve said with a reassuring smile. “I could try harder, too. Sometimes I think we’re too alike. We’re workaholics. We’re both prone to tunnel vision and with everything that’s been going on in politics, new heroes and villains popping out of the woodwork left and right; not to mention the calls for extra security and non-life-threatening emergencies, it’s hard to maintain a relationship.”

Steve let out a heavy sigh and laid his head down on the armrest. “I don’t know what my point is, but I guess what I’m saying is, I miss you.”

Tony’s heart skipped a beat. Something must be wrong with his ears, right? Tony looked over at Steve, expecting a ‘gotcha’ look on his face. Instead, clear blue eyes stared up back at him. There was a small smile on Steve’s face. Soft creases lined the area around Steve’s eyes in a pattern that someday might be crow’s feet. If this were a movie, there would be hearts in his eyes and the ocean life would be singing, “Kiss the Girl.” So no, definitely not a prank. God, how did Steve manage to make cheesy lines like that sound good?

Tony ran a hand along the back of his neck, trying to hide the blush in his cheeks. “I… um… I miss you, too.”

Steve smiled and it made Tony’s heart melt. “I know this is a little out of nowhere, but would you model for me? I feel like it’s been ages since I last picked up a pencil.”

“I’m not really dressed for it,” Tony said, looking down at his red Hawaiian shirt and baggy cargo shorts.

“That’s fine,” Steve said, standing up and pressing a kiss to the top of Tony’s head. “You’re perfect just as you are.”

Steve went back into the beach house and came out a few minutes later with his sketchbook in hand and actual clothes on his body. He sat down on the chair alongside Tony and, as he had done so many times over the years, flipped the book open to an empty page, twirled the pencil around in his hand, and began to draw.

First, an outline of basic shapes. Then, a few light details to mold those shapes into human-like features. Long strokes, short strokes, hard strokes, soft strokes, it was a symphony of sounds that Tony knew he would never get tired of. Tony closed his eyes and allowed himself to be swept away by the white noise. The sound of a pencil on paper and the waves breaking over white sand filled the silence between the two men. It was quiet. It was nice.

The universe didn’t let them have many moments like this. Peaceful moments. Tony’s life as a billionaire, their lives as superheroes and celebrities didn’t allow such simple things. They were always in the spotlight. Somewhere to go, something to do, someone to save, someone watching them, someone taking pictures of their very PG relationship and selling it to TMZ as something scandalous. Anxiety-free peace and quiet was a priceless luxury, one that Tony planned to savor.

But a question hung in the air. Not an important one. They had talked a lot about the important ones over the years. This was something Tony had wanted to ask ever since Steve first requested Tony to model for him.

“Hey, Steve?”

“Hm?”

“What goes through your head when you draw?”

“Lots of things,” Steve said, the words coming out slower than normal as the pencil moved expertly across the white page. “Mostly shapes and angles when I start out. A little bit about muscles and skeletal structures, and there’s a lot of looking up and down so I can draw the reference image right.”

“That’s it?”

Steve shook his head. “No. I also think about the subject, too. If it’s a person, I think about why they look the way they do. Who they are, where they’ve been, what type of life they’ve lived and why they carry themselves in a certain way. Helps me give the drawing life and personality.”

“Well, you’re not lacking any of that here,” Tony said with a sultry wink.

Steve left out a frustrated huff. If he didn’t need his eyes, Steve would be rolling them back to the mainland. “Stop it.”

“Stop what?”

“Stop thinking.”

“I’m not thinking.”

“Don’t play dumb. It doesn’t suit you.” An amused smile flickered across Steve’s face. “You’re wondering what I think about when I draw you.”

“What? No,” Tony sputtered. “My ego’s not that big.”

Steve swept his pencil across the page with a confident smirk. “Maybe not, but I know for a fact that you’re too self-conscious for your own good.”

“I am not!”

Steve looked up from the paper. “Do you really want to have this argument now? You know I’m right. There’s no one here to stop us from having this argument. And you know I can go all day.”

Tony let out an annoyed huff. He stuck his tongue out at Steve and sank down into the beach chair. He crossed his arms and did everything he could to look as ugly as possible. Try drawing him now, Steve. Bet it’s going to be a lot harder, huh? A moving model is a pain in the butt. That’s what he got for being right.

But Steve, bless his heart, didn’t even bat an eye at Tony’s tantrum. “When I draw you, I want to capture who you are, not what you try to be. You put on a show because you feel it’s expected. Everything you do is supposed to be elegant and effortless. You’re supposed to be larger than life. Fuck anyone who thinks otherwise. You’re Tony Stark; the genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist who works part time as a superhero.

“But when we have quiet moments like this, you’re breathtaking. No bells and whistles. No fake smile. Just you. Just us, together. It’s so simple, and yet it’s so nice. You put on so many masks for the sake of the media. But when it’s just me and some paper, it all melts away. The way you shine when we’re alone, you’re the most beautiful and fascinating man I’ve ever seen.

“You’re soft and flexible, yet as hard and as stubborn as raw iron. You burn like the sun, yet you never let those you love catch fire. Your body is covered in scars from betrayal and years of fighting an unwinnable war, yet you still carry your heart on your sleeve. You’re one of the smartest men I know. You can talk circles around me any day of the week, yet I never feel stupid.

“You, Tony Stark, are a beautiful paradox. You call me out on my shortcomings and get on my every nerve. You’re infuriating, endlessly frustrating, and yet I can’t help falling more and more in love with you every day.

“When I draw you, I learn something new about the man I love, every time. I’m reminded why I’ll never get tired of the view. I remember why I love you. ”

Tony stared at Steve slack jawed. He knew Steve liked him, but he didn’t really realize how much. Tony always had doubts about their relationship wandering around in the back of his mind. Not about him not loving Steve. Never that. Tony loved Steve with every fiber of his being. No, the one Tony had doubts about was Steve.

In the dark corners of Tony’s mind, he thought one day it would all end. Steve would wake up from their ‘honeymoon period’ and know he deserved someone better. He’d call Tony a selfish, vain asshole or something like that and leave him to marry some blond haired, blue eyed girl to raise two and a half kids in a house in the suburbs with a white picket fence. To hear such praise from Steve’s own lips, to hear how much Steve loved him, it didn’t feed his ego like all the gossip magazines thought it did. It made his heart grow two sizes bigger. It made his chest feel like it was about to explode. It felt like time stopped. It felt like he was going to die all over again.

“Wow… um… thanks,” Tony stammered. Very much at a loss for words. His entire face felt sunburnt. “You’re pretty swell, too, Steve.”

Steve looked up from his sketch book and smiled. He tried to say something, but his words were also a jumbled mess. “I…um… What I mean to say is… um….”

He put the sketch book down and took Tony’s hand in his. Steve began to rub his thumb back and forth over the soft skin. There was a pink flush in his cheeks as he chewed his lip, but Steve’s eyes were darting back and forth as if fighting a quiet, internal battle. He seemed nervous.

Steve cleared his throat. “I wanted to wait for the perfect moment; dinner, romantic music, something that would sweep you off your feet. But… I think this way is better. I might regret the lack of pictures in the future, but I’d be hard pressed to find a better moment that this.”

Tony cocked his head to the side. “A better moment than this? And what do you mean by ‘lack of pictures’? Pictures of what?”

Steve didn’t answer his question. Instead, he stood up from the beach chair. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small blue box no bigger than a half dollar coin. Blue package clutched firmly in his hand, Steve knelt down on one knee.

Tony’s breath caught in his throat. No way. This was happening? Now? Just the two of them on a beach in the middle of nowhere with no gossip mags or media or crazy extended superhero family to hold this sappy moment over his head for years to come? Goddamnit! How was Steve always so perfect?

Steve pulled back the top of the box and revealed a simple gold band. “Anthony Edward Stark, will you marry me?”

The answer was on his lips before Steve finished. But as easy as it was to say, it took a few tries before Tony finally got it out. “Yes,” Tony said through a smile so big and a heart beating so fast it felt like it was going to burst. “Yes, I will marry you.”

Steve’s eyes lit up like stars in the night sky. He leaped up, kissing Tony with boundless enthusiasm until they were both light headed. He slipped the ring on Tony’s finger with ease. They hugged each other, laughing like they just won the lottery of a lifetime. Oh, who was Tony kidding? A love like theirs, a relationship as strong and as rocky as theirs was, might as well have been the ultimate lottery.

* * *

Hours later, they lay in bed together, Steve’s chest plastered against Tony’s side. Both looking up at Tony’s hand as he held the ring above their heads so it could sparkle in the moonlight.

“How about we elope?” proposed Steve, snuggling close to Tony. “We leave the island a few days early, get on the plane, fly over to Vegas, go to one of those shit chapels and have Elvis marry us?”

“Absolutely not,” said Tony. “Rhodey would kill me if I did that.”

“Rhodey? Really?” asked Steve. “I though Pepper would have been the one to insist on a traditional wedding.”

Tony laughed. “Pep would love it if I eloped. Be hell to explain our secret nuptials to the press, but planning a wedding and all the drama leading up to it will be ten times worse. Every press conference or interview from here on out will be focused on us. Who’s on the guest list? Where is it at? Are we going to have a traditional wedding in a church or a modern venue? What are we going to wear? Who’s designing it? Is Steve going to wear his uniform from the war? What about suits? What color are the suits going to be? Am I going to be a drama queen and insist on a dress?

“By the time we get to the honeymoon suite, I swear, you’re going to hate me so much.”

“No, I won’t,” said Steve. “I knew what I was getting into when I asked you out on our first date. It was after that battle with the Wrecking Crew, remember? You had your helmet on when I asked you out. When you said yes and flew off, I was sure you didn’t hear me correctly because you barely reacted.”

“Oh, right. I remember that. I thought my comm was broken because there was no way in hell you would ever ask me out.”

Steve chuckled. “Joke’s on you. I’d been working up the nerve to ask you out for weeks.”

“And then you came to my door in a suit and tie with a beautiful bouquet and I just stood there in a ragged t-shirt covered in green stains from DUM-E’s early smoothie making days because I thought you weren’t serious,” Tony laughed at the memory. Tony had been so embarrassed he’d actually shut the door in Steve’s face, convinced it was all some weird dream. Good thing he’d answered the door when Steve knocked again. Man never knew when to give up. “And now, look where we are,” Tony murmured as he cuddled his favorite superhero.

Steve nodded, a light blush blooming across his pale cheeks. “In bed with the man I love. I never thought I’d be this lucky, but there’s no place I’d rather be.”

Tony hummed as he gave Steve’s hand a quick squeeze. Tony had done so much bad in the world, it was a miracle that he was allowed something this good in his life. Marrying his beloved with a proper proposal and everything, Tony must have been extra good this year.

“Hey Steve, what did you think your wedding would be like?”

Steve hummed. “Never thought about it before. Always thought I’d die from sickness or from the war before I ever got hitched. If I did think about it, I always thought it’d be quick. Need to be. Didn’t want my partner to have time to second guess themselves before hitching themselves to a mistake like me.”

“Rhodey made me promise that I’d get a proper wedding if I ever settled down because, ‘I deserve something nice.’ His words, not mine. Besides, he’s put up with my shit for years. I can’t break that promise now.”

“But I wanted to see the guys shit their pants when we came home with wedding bands.” Steve looked at Tony and stuck out his bottom lip in the most over the top sad puppy look Steve could muster. “Can’t we just get a little married before we go back to work?”

“Sorry dearest, a promise is a promise.”

“But you’ll still wear the engagement ring, right?” asked Steve. “I want to see the guys lose their shit when they find out I proposed.”

Tony rolling his eyes. How he managed to land a possessive and yet adorable fiancé, Tony would never be able to figure out. “Only for you and only because you’re so adorable,” Tony said, turning to catch a quick kiss over his shoulder. “But there’s still a lot of work to be done before we let people outside the Avengers know. Need to talk to Pepper about an official announcement before the media catches on and the stocks rocket. Have to get paperwork looked over by lawyers and approved by the board.”

“Let’s not think about it now, husband-to-be of mine,” Steve said, sneaking his arms around Tony’s waist. “We’re still on vacation and the ‘no tech’ rule is still in effect. Let’s just relax and enjoy our first night as fiancés. It’s only going to get crazier from here.”

Tony hummed as Steve pressed a few possessive kisses into Tony’s neck. “Whatever you say, husband-to-be,” he hummed.


End file.
